SpaceX’s Falcon-9 to launch India’s GSAT-20; satellite to spread broadband coverage
- The NewSpace India Limited (NSIL) is set to launch GSAT-20, now renamed GSAT-N2, on-board SpaceX’s Falcon-9 during the second quarter of 2024.
Key Features
- GSAT-20 is a high-throughput Ka-band Satellite fully owned, operated, and funded by the NSIL.
- With a weight of 4700 kg, it offers Ka-Ka band HTS capacity with 32 beams providing pan-India coverage, including Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands.
- It offers an HTS capacity of nearly 48 Gbps and is specifically designed to address the service needs of remote and unconnected regions.
- The focus is on offering cost-effective Ka-Ka band HTS capacity for Broadband, IFMC and cellular backhaul services.
SpaceX Falcon-9
- Falcon-9, designed and manufactured by SpaceX, is a reusable, two-stage rocket.
- It is the world's first orbital-class reusable rocket, allowing SpaceX to refly the most expensive parts, thus driving down the cost of space access.
Government Mandate
- NSIL's role in the mission aligns with the space sector reforms announced by the Government of India in June 2020.
- NSIL is mandated to build, launch, own and operate satellites in a "demand-driven mode" to meet user service needs.
Previous Successes
- NSIL successfully launched its first demand-driven satellite, GSAT-24, in June 2022, fully funded and with the capacity secured by TataPlay.
- NSIL presently owns and operates 11 communication satellites in orbit.
Prelims Takeaway
- NewSpace India Limited (NSIL)
- GSAT-20 Satellite
- SpaceX Falcon-9